


Wedding Bells

by hannahfanficrobron



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-24
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-06-10 12:17:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6956170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannahfanficrobron/pseuds/hannahfanficrobron
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Totally ridiculous fluff I wrote, imagining how possibly Aaron and Robert could get married (living in cloud cuckoo land, I know).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Set about two years on from where we are now in Emmerdale, where Aaron, Robert and Liv are living together.

“We could, you know,” Robert said quietly.

“Mm?” Aaron said, not paying attention to the TV program they were watching. He was more distracted by cuddling up with Rob on the sofa, focusing on the delicious feeling of being curled up with him.

“You’re not watching this, are you?” Robert said.

“No,” Aaron replied. “Too distracted by you.” Robert smiled at that. “Anyway, we could what?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Robert said, shrugging. Aaron could tell he’d hit a nerve because the arm around him stiffened.

“No, carry on,” Aaron said.

“Don’t overreact,” Robert said. “I was just… suggesting that we could get married.” Aaron snorted with amusement, then realised when Robert gave no reaction that he actually meant it. Aaron sat up, looking at him as he turned the TV off, Aaron only now noticing that the characters on screen were getting married.

“You’re serious, aren’t you?” he asked quietly.

“Yes,” Robert said. “I can’t imagine my life without you. And to be honest with you, I don’t want to try.” Aaron sat there, stunned by what Robert was suggesting. “Look, forget it,” Robert said after the silence became unbearable. “It was just a suggestion, forget it.”

“You really want to be with me for the rest of your life?” Aaron asked, almost in disbelief.

“You never understand how much you mean to me, do you?” Robert said quietly. “Look, just forget it.”

“What if I don’t want to forget it?” Aaron said very quietly. Robert stared at him, wondering if he could hope that Aaron meant what he thought he did. “I love you,” Aaron said quietly. “More than I’ve ever loved anyone.” Aaron took a deep breath before continuing. “I know that… I wouldn’t have gotten through quite a few days in the past without you by my side.”

“Do you want to, then?” Robert asked, unable to stop the grin on his face now that he knew Aaron wasn’t totally opposed to the idea.

“Yeah,” Aaron said, after a moment, eyes bright. “I would.” He didn’t have the chance to say anything further because Robert kissed him, deep and passionate, pushing him into the sofa. Aaron let him take the lead, enjoying feeling Robert’s weight on top of him. He always felt so good.

“We’re really doing this?” Robert asked, looking in his eyes as if searching for a lie.

“I guess so,” he said. “I can’t have a big day,” Aaron said. “I’d hate being the centre of attention, and all that. Just… drive to a registry office and get it over with.”

“Yeah?”

“What’s wrong with that?” Aaron said. “It shouldn’t be about anyone else anyway. Just us.”

“Yeah,” Robert said under his breath. “Sounds perfect.” He kissed Aaron again, not intending to stop when the door opened and Liv came in.

“D’you have to do that there?” she asked as she went into the kitchen for food. She’d seen it too often to be that bothered by it, but she always made sure to make a comment whenever she passed them. Robert sighed heavily, stopping kissing Aaron for a moment.

“Thought you were going out,” he said.

“I am,” she replied. “Just need to get changed.” Liv vanished into her bedroom, leaving the two men

“Shall we tell her?” Robert asked.

“Let’s not tell anyone,” Aaron said, smiling. “Just go and do it.”

“Not ashamed of me, are you?” Robert teased.

“No,” Aaron said. “I’m not the one who liked to hide.”

“We’re not going back there,” Robert said firmly.

“I just… It should just be about us.”

“Okay,” Robert said easily, kissing him again. “Perfect,” he whispered against Aaron’s lips before kissing him again.

* * *

 

**Two weeks later.**

They were both in Aaron’s car, heading back to Emmerdale. They’d just signed the marriage register with a couple of witnesses they'd grabbed from the street. The entire event had probably taken less than half an hour, and both of them couldn’t stop smiling. They both wore simple gold bands on their left hands, shiny with their newness.

“Happy looks good on you,” Robert said honestly.

“I can’t believe we’ve just done that,” Aaron said, keeping his eyes on the road.

“Can’t believe good, or bad?” Robert asked.

“Good,” Aaron said. “Really good.”

“When are we going to tell people?” Robert asked. He didn’t want to keep this secret, didn’t think they’d be able to anyway with the amount they were both smiling. Robert didn’t think he’d ever seen Aaron smile this much since he’d met him. His husband. Blimey, those words felt strange, even inside his own head.

“My mum is going to kill you,” Aaron said, not answering the question.

“Why not you as well?” Robert asked. After all, Aaron was as much part of this as he was. “You’re the one who didn’t want to tell her.”

“Well, I’m her son, she’ll forgive me because she loves me.”

“I love you, too,” Robert said quietly. Aaron looked at him briefly, eyes warm before returning his concentration to the road. To get in a car crash now really would be typical of them, so he‘d like to avoid that.

“We’re never going to be able to hide this,” Robert said.

“I don’t want to hide it,” Aaron said, his lips tilting into a little smile.

“Good.”

“Pull the car over,” Robert said.

“We’re five minutes from home,” Aaron said.

“Pull the car over,” he repeated. Aaron sighed but did what he asked. Once it’d stopped, Robert kissed him deeply.

“What’s that for?” Aaron asked, breathless from the taste of him.

“Before we get home,” Robert said, breath rushing against his lips, palm curving around Aaron's face. “And have to deal with the circus. I just want you all to myself for five more minutes.”

Aaron smiled into another kiss, his fingers grabbing Robert’s hair tightly. He didn’t want to let him go, ever.

 


	2. Chapter 2

They parked in front of the pub, neither of them speaking for several minutes.

“Maybe I should…”

“Not a chance,” Aaron said. “You are not leaving me to tell her on my own.”

“But…”

“No, you’re stuck with me now,” Aaron said. “We’ll have to face my mum together.”

“Fine,” Robert said. “Sounds like a thrilling prospect.”

“Lets get it over with.” They got out of the car and walked towards the pub, knowing Chas would be working.

“Oh, the two of you look smart!” she said, looking at the pair of them as they walked up to the bar. They were both wearing white shirts, with suit jackets over the top. No tie though, both of them feeling it was unnecessary at the time. But now in the Woolpack setting, it looked a bit over the top.

“Can we have a word?” Robert said. Chas looked between them and knew something was up.

“Okay… Charity!” The blonde nodded, taking over the bar as Chas, Aaron and Robert went through to the back.

“You two both have the look on your faces like you’re school kids in trouble. What’ve you done?” Chas asked, waiting.

“Don’t flip out,” Aaron said.

“Now I’m worried,” Chas said, standing up. “Are we talking illegal, possibility of prison or…?”

“Nothing illegal,” Robert put in.

“We um…” Aaron looked at Robert for support, but he shook his head.

“Oh, no. You’re the one who didn’t want her to know,” Robert said, not going to be the one to break it to Chas. His mother in law, God that would take some getting used to.

“Thanks, Rob, that’s helpful,” Aaron said, glaring at him.

“Does anyone want to tell me what’s going on?” Chas asked, her patience running out with the waiting. Aaron didn’t seem upset, so she assumed it wasn’t something disastrous, which was her first concern.

“We… this morning, we went and got married.” There was a perfect silence in the room and if Robert hadn’t been so worried about how Chas was going to react, and how it’d effect Aaron, he’d have found it hilarious. Aaron bit his lip, nervous as to how she’d was going to react. Robert could feel the anxiety coming from him in waves.

“You are joking?” Chas said loudly, her eyes going from her son to Robert. “This is a wind up, right?”

“Good to know you’re happy for us,” Aaron said sarcastically. Both men looked at each other then back at Chas and within one split second, she knew they were telling the truth.

“You did what?” her voice had changed to that quiet almost hushed tone she used when she was shocked. Her mouth had fallen open as well. “Oh, my God!” She almost collapsed into a chair by the kitchen table.

“Mum, we’re happy,” Aaron said, sitting opposite his mother. “Which is… rare for me, I think you know that.”

“Aaron,” she said quietly. Then her eyes spotted the gold ring on her sons hand, as if confirming that it was real. That he’d actually gone out and married Robert without telling anyone. “Oh, my God,” she said again.

“Don’t be upset,” Aaron said, seeing her close to tears. “This is a good thing.”

“Aaron, you went and got married without telling me?! To Robert?! How could you do that?”

“Feeling really wanted here,” Robert said from the other side of the room.

“You’ve got to tell Vic yet,” Aaron countered, turning to look at him briefly before turning back to his mother. Robert swallowed what he’d been about to say because his husband had a point.

“Is she in the kitchen?”

“Yeah,” Chas said. “Good luck with that,” she added in Robert’s direction. Her lips twitched in a small smile and they knew the shock was wearing off. Robert let go of the breath he’d been holding. That could have been worse.

“We didn’t want the fuss,” Aaron said. 

“Er… excuse me?“ Robert said, staring at him pointedly, not letting him get away with that one. 

“All right, _I_ didn’t want the fuss,” he edited.

“Well, tonight we’ll have to have a party,” she said.

“Mum…”

“Knees up in the Woolie, you won’t say no to that, surely?” Aaron looked at Robert for a moment who shrugged.

“Free booze?” Aaron asked, brightening up.

“I suppose,” Chas said. “Least I can do. Though when I think I wasn’t important enough to be invited to my own sons wedding, I feel less generous with the alcohol.” 

“Mum, we didn’t tell anyone,” Aaron said. “It wasn’t about you.”

“Come here, you.” Chas got up and pulled her son into a hug. When she let him go, she looked at Robert.

“We’re stuck with you, then?”

“Yep,” Robert said easily, his eyes sliding over to Aaron. “For good.” Aaron’s eyes smiled at him and for once in his life, Robert knew that he’d absolutely done the right thing.

* * *

Five minutes later, Aaron and Robert were sat on the sofa, kissing lightly when Victoria came in. “Oh, sorry,” she said, wiping her hands on her chef jacket as they broke apart. “Chas said you wanted to talk to me?”

“Yeah,” Robert said, looking at Aaron for a moment before turning back to his sister. “This morning we got married,” Robert said, rather bluntly in Aaron’s opinion.

“No, I didn’t hear you correctly,” Victoria said after a few beats of silence. “Because my brother would have invited me to his wedding.”

“It wasn’t a wedding, Vic,” Aaron said. “It was us signing a piece of paper.”

“You did what!” She grabbed Robert’s hand, like Chas seeing the ring there. Her eyes scanned Aaron’s, finding the matching one there. “You’re… married?”

“Vic, calm down,” Robert said, standing up and pulling her into a hug. “It’s all right.”

“How could you let him do that?” she asked Aaron, still in her brothers arms.

“It was kind of my idea,” Aaron said sheepishly.

“Of course it was,” she said, shaking her head.

“Not like you’ve not done it,” Robert said, reminding her. “I didn’t go to your wedding.” Trying not to think that for Victoria’s wedding he’d been tied up in Cain’s car boot. He caught Aaron’s eyes and it was clear he was remembering the same thing.

“Well, congratulations,” she said, stopping hugging her brother and looked at Aaron. “Always knew you were perfect for each other.”

“Vic…” Aaron said, rolling his eyes. Robert laughed as she went back to the kitchen, still saying choice words under her breath about hiding things from her, Robert sitting next to Aaron once again.

“God, I need a drink,” Aaron said.

“How d’you think Liv’s going to take it?”

“Oh, don’t,” Aaron said, shaking his head. Robert laughed again before pulling him in for a long kiss.

* * *

 

“Hi,” Liv said dully, coming in from school and going straight to the cupboard for food. When she had a packet of crisps in hand she realised no one had said anything. “What?” she asked, seeing both men standing staring at her. “I’ve not done anything wrong.”

“No, we know,” Robert said. “We’ve got something to tell you.” Robert looked at Aaron, wondering if he wanted to say it.

“We got married this morning,” Aaron said quietly, his eyes staying on Robert for a moment before returning to his sister. Liv’s face went pale, eyes wide and fearful as she looked between them.

“Are you… are you kicking me out?” she asked.

“What?” Aaron asked, frowning.

“Is that what this is?” Liv said, shaking her head. “You’re telling me that you want a life together and I’m not part of that? I‘ve gotta be in the way, haven’t I? I‘ve gotta go.”

“Calm down,” Robert said, seeing her racing ahead with herself. Aaron seemed a bit speechless, because this reaction wasn’t what they were expecting.

“Of course I’m in the way. Why wouldn’t I be? Look, I don’t want to go to mum, she’s useless. Please don’t chuck me out!”

“Liv,” Robert said firmly. “We are not kicking you out. That never even came into the conversation.”

“But…”

“Come here.” Robert pulled her into a hug. “You’re part of our family, all right. That won’t change. You’re stuck with us whether you like it or not.” After a couple of seconds Aaron joined in the embrace. He’d said nothing so far because he’d been too shocked by her reaction.

“Of course we’re not getting rid of you,” Aaron said. “We wouldn’t know what to do with the silence.” She let out a tiny laugh, letting go of them both.

“You really got married?” she asked, looking at them both.

“Yeah, we did,” Aaron said.

“Today?”

“Yes,” Robert said.

“Wow,” she said, unable to stop the smile now she knew that they didn’t want her gone. “I guess I’m packing a bag.”

“Liv, we mean it, you’re not going anywhere,” Aaron said.

“No, I meant… I think I’ll stay at Gabby’s. Don’t fancy overhearing what you’re getting up to tonight.”

“There’s going to be a party at the pub,” Robert called after her, ignoring her last comment as Aaron put his head in his hands, collapsing on the sofa. “Want to show your face?”

“Can I have a drink?” she asked, brightening up.

“No,” Aaron said.

“Come on,” she wheedled. “My brother’s got married and you’re not going to let me celebrate?”

“You’re sixteen,” Robert said.

“Cause I’m sure you weren’t drinking at sixteen,” Liv countered sharply.

“One,” Aaron said, unable to contain his happiness.

“Great!” Robert sat next to him, smiling.

“Are you happy?” Aaron asked quietly.

“Yeah,” Robert said. “I am.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the support for this one! Ch 3 will be the party at the Woolpack, and we'll see how that goes!


	3. Chapter 3

Aaron had gone ahead to the pub. Robert, under the excuse of getting ready had stayed behind. He had a conversation he wasn’t looking forward to, but one that he had to get over with. He drove up to Home Farm, looking for Chrissie. It was only fair that he told her himself.

He knocked on the office and didn’t have to wait long before Chrissie answered.

“What do you want?” she said unkindly.

“I don’t want an argument,” he said. “Just want to talk to you.”

“About what?” she said, sitting down behind her desk.

“You’re going to hear sooner or later,” Robert said, shaking his head. “Aaron and I got married this morning.”

“I’m sorry, you did what?” Chrissie asked, her voice going quiet. When Robert didn't respond, she raised her eyebrows in surprise. “And you’re… sat here telling me this... why?”

“There’s a party at the Woolpack tonight,” Robert said. “I thought… I’d rather tell you than have you walk in and be ambushed by it.”

“So you want me to avoid making a scene,” Chrissie said, cutting through to what he really meant. “For your new _husband_.”

“Chrissie…” 

“Was everything between us always a lie?” Chrissie asked. “Just hiding who you are?”

Robert shrugged uncomfortably. “Yeah, I had an affair, but… it was never meant to end like this. I didn’t mean to fall in love with him.”

“Couldn’t help yourself, could you?” Chrissie said.

“I wanted to tell you myself. You know, so I’m going.”

“What happened to Aaron being a stupid mistake?” Chrissie asked. “When you were trying to get me to forgive you? As if I ever could.”

“He was a mistake,” Robert said honestly. “Sleeping with him was a huge mistake and falling in love with him was probably the stupidest thing I’d ever done. But I couldn’t help it.”

“Have you told Andy?” Chrissie asked.

“No,” he said quietly. “I thought you could… mention it?”

“Oh, really?” Chrissie said, rolling her eyes. “Coward.”

“I should go,” Robert said. He shook his head. He’d not been looking forward to telling her, but knew it really would have been cowardly to let her hear it through village gossip. He left the office and drove off, feeling that now he really deserved a drink.

* * *

 

Aaron walked into the pub which was shockingly empty. He looked around, seeing his mother behind the bar with a bottle of champagne she put in an ice bucket. Charity was putting food out on paper plates, but otherwise it was empty. “I expected a lynch mob by now,” Aaron said.

“Give em time,” Chas said. “Open bar, they’ll show.”

“I’m sure,” Aaron said. His mother didn’t respond. “Are you okay?”

“I was shocked,” Chas said, pouring him a pint without waiting to be asked. “All I ever wanted was for you to be happy, love. I don’t get why Robert makes you happy, but I know he does.”

“Cheers,” Aaron said, taking the pint. Chas’s eyes saw the wedding ring and she couldn’t stop staring at it. “You know, generally people wear wedding rings when they get married,” Aaron said, noticing her gaze and slightly uncomfortable with the attention.

“I know,” she said. “Just… takes some getting used to. Where is your husband then?”

“Getting ready,” Aaron said, ignoring the warm glow he felt at Chas‘s words. “Liv took ages in the bathroom, he’ll be here in ten minutes.”

“Oi, were you really going to let us miss out on a big family booze up?” Charity said, seeing Aaron at the bar. Aaron smiled into his drink but didn’t answer as she kept pottering around behind the bar, topping the fridge up. 

“Words getting out, then?” Aaron said to his mum.

“You didn’t want it kept quiet, did you?” she teased, wide smile. “Shouldn’t have told Vic if you did. How‘d Liv take it?”

Aaron sighed and looked down at the bar. “She thought we’d be kicking her out,” he said. “That we wouldn’t want her around.”

“Oh,” Chas said sadly.

“The thing is, I get it,” Aaron said. “I know what it feels like to think no one wants you.” Chas squeezed her sons hand tightly.

“She’s family. And you were never not wanted, Aaron.”

“I don’t want to talk about that today,” Aaron said, shaking his head. “Today is a good day.”

“Hold that thought,” Chas said, looking behind him. Aaron turned and saw Cain, not looking happy.

“Alright?” Aaron said in greeting. “You’ve heard?” he added when Cain stayed stony faced.

“I might have mentioned it,” Chas said, turning away.

“Look, you beating up Robert might put a downer on the whole day,” Aaron said.

“Where is he?” Cain said shortly.

“Avoiding you?” Aaron suggested. “Probably didn’t fancy being tied up and left in a car boot. At home,” he added with a small smile that he couldn’t stop. “He’ll be here in five minutes.”

“I’m not going to argue with you,” Cain said. “If it’s what you want.”

“Funny, didn’t realise it was up to you,” Aaron said. “You know he’s not all bad.”

“Hope not,” Robert said, coming into the pub, Liv just behind him. “Hi.” Robert kissed his husband very briefly, knowing that even after all this time Aaron wasn’t too comfortable in public.

“Vic told me something which sounded crazy,” Adam said, coming in just after Robert. “She told me you’d got married. That’s just insane, right?”

“Why is it insane?” Robert said, defensive.

“Because my best mate would’ve told me,” Adam said, punching Aaron lightly on the shoulder. “Wouldn’t he?”

“Get in line,” Chas said from behind the bar, pulling a couple more pints.

“Sorry,” Aaron said, not looking sorry in the slightest. Adam clapped his best friend on the back, smiling widely, that easy going look on his face.

“I see the champagne behind you, Chas,” Robert said, smiling at her. “Shall we get started?” Chas smiled at him, passing him the bottle. Robert opened it with a bang, and started pouring into a tray of empty glasses Chas’d left on the bar.

“I’ll stick with my pint,” Aaron said.

“You’re seriously not going to celebrate?” Robert asked, frowning at him.

“I don’t like champagne,” Aaron said with a shrug.

“I do,” Liv piped in. Aaron reached for a glass for his sister before Chas butted in.

“Er… Do you want me to lose my licence?” Chas asked. “She’s sixteen.”

“It’s my brother’s wedding!” Liv said, indignantly.

“It’s still a pub.”

“Well..” Aaron started. “As these drinks are free, for a private party, then you’re not technically serving her,” Aaron said. “One glass.” Liv stood all wide eyed and innocent and Chas relented.

“I suppose if I left one on the bar, and she happened to take it, then…”

“Thanks Chas,” Liv said, wide grin on her face as Aaron gave her a glass of champagne.

“If you’d given me more than three hours notice, I’d have been able to do a better job,” Victoria said, coming out of the kitchen with a large cake on a tray, undecorated.

“We didn’t ask for cake,” Aaron said, frowning at her.

“Don’t be so bloody ungrateful,” Vic said.

“Thanks Vic,” Robert said smiling at his sister as she put it down on the food table before picking up a glass of champagne and downing it in one.

“Steady,” Robert said.

“I’ve been slaving away in the kitchen all day. Next time, Rob, a bit of notice would be nice.”

“There’s not going to be a next time, is there?” Aaron said lightly, but his eyes carried the seriousness there.

“Well, second time lucky,” Robert said, shrugging. He might have spoken nonchalantly, but his hand grabbed Aaron’s and squeezed tightly in reassurance. He wanted Aaron to know that he took this seriously.

The pub started to fill up with people, word having clearly spread about the surprise wedding. Moira, Belle, Lisa, Debbie and the kids, Marlon and April, which reminded Aaron that he hadn’t called Paddy to tell him. Have to do that tomorrow. Diane turned up too, which Aaron knew made Robert happy, even if he wouldn’t show it or ever admit it.

They were both being chatted to by their family and friends, so it was some time before Robert and Aaron had some time to talk. “Want to tell me the truth?” Aaron asked, sitting next to Robert.

“Mm?” Robert asked, not following. The booze was starting to have an effect and his mind wasn’t as clear as usual.

“How’s your ex wife?”

“I…

“Don’t even try it,” Aaron interrupted. “I know you went to see her,” Robert looked at him in silence, wondering how he knew that. “You’ve lied to me too much in the past. I know what you look like, when you’re going to see her.”

“It’s not like that,” Robert said, putting his drink on the table. “I just wanted her to hear it from me. It seemed… like I owed her the truth, I guess. There is no reason to be jealous, please don’t ruin today,” Robert said softly. “It’s been a perfect day.”

“I’m not jealous,” Aaron said honestly. “Just… tell me the truth in future. Especially when you’re seeing your ex wife. I spent six months jealous as hell of all the time you spent with her and not me, and it hurt. Talk to me.”

“I would have,” Robert said. “I just… knew you wouldn’t want me to see her today.”

“Well, no,” Aaron said. Of course he didn’t. “But I do get it, Robert. I do understand.”

“Okay,” Robert said. “Sorry.” Aaron didn’t want to dwell on it, so he leant his head against Roberts shoulder, as Robert wrapped an arm around him. It was comfortable, and it felt good, to be held like that. Robert couldn’t resist from kissing the top of his head lightly, making Aaron smile. Aaron straightened up when Adam brought a few more glasses of champagne over to the table, but not before Chas had clicked a picture of the two of them together, smiling at the image on her phone. Aaron would hate it, but she didn’t care. 

Liv appeared from nowhere, reaching for a glass of champagne. “Er, no,” Aaron said. “You’ve had one.”

“Aaron…”

“No,” he said.

“Fine,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I’m off to Gabby’s then.

“You’re still going to school tomorrow,” Robert said firmly.

“Yeah, yeah,” she said. Liv left the pub, Gabby behind her and God knows what trouble they’d get themselves into. They’d worry about that tomorrow, though, not now.

Aaron’s pint was empty, so he went to the bar, leaving Robert alone with the champagne. Robert watched his husband talk animatedly to Chas and Adam, clearly in no rush to come back to the table. This felt slightly surreal to Robert, being in a pub full of people who generally wished him and Aaron well. He’d been hated for so long in this village it was easy to forget what being accepted felt like. Still watching Aaron, he didn’t notice straight away when Cain sat opposite him.

“Get it down yer, then,” Cain said, pushing a pint across the table towards Robert. To him it felt almost like a peace offering.

“You’re not going to kill me then?” Robert asked lightly, wrapping a hand around the glass. He wasn’t afraid of Cain, but he knew that getting on his bad side wasn’t a wise move either.

“I will if you hurt him,” Cain said. “But you’re not going to do that, are you, Sugden?”

“No,” Robert said, smiling slightly as his eyes landed on Aaron, leaning over the bar and talking to his mother happily, easily. “No, I’m not.” He kept his eyes on Aaron as he sipped his pint, unable to look away. “You could call me Robert, you know?”

“Where’d be the fun in that?” Cain said easily, smiling slightly. The older man clapped Robert on the shoulder as he walked off, leaving Robert with the unsettling feeling that he’d been accepted. By Cain. How did that happen?

Robert had always wanted a family who’d stand by him, no matter what. He’d never really felt like he’d had that before. While the Sugdens had been his family, and a good one, he always felt like he wasn’t good enough, that he didn’t measure up. Andy was the golden child, whereas he, Robert, always screwed up. Didn’t want the right things, wasn’t happy to simply work on the farm for the rest of his days. He wasn’t entirely sure what his father would say about him marrying a man either. Probably have disapproved at first, but then hopefully would have got used to it. As Robert would never know, that was the thought he was holding onto.

With Chrissie, he’d never had a family, and he’d known it. Always the outsider, even after he’d married her. Never welcome, and certainly never to be relied on or trusted. The Dingles might be borderline criminals at times, but you could not ever find a closer family. If one of them needed something, help, money, support, (or an alibi) everyone else in the family would pull together and be there for them. There wouldn’t even be a question about it, because that‘s what their family did. 

Without even trying, without scheming to get his way, just through the simple act of being the man he thought Aaron deserved, he’d managed to get a larger family than he ever thought possible. And he’d been accepted, which was the most shocking part of all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the last chapter! Thank you for reading, Kudos and especially the feedback in the comments.


End file.
